Don't Judge a Book by Just Its Cover
by Asprine
Summary: Stella embraces someone. Someone saw them. SMacked ONE SHOT. My first fan fiction. Hope you like them. Reviews are welcomed! Thank you.


**This is my first Fan Fiction. I'm sorry if my grammar got something wrong. Hope you like them. All reviews are welcomed. Please be honest. **

**Disclaimer** : I don't own the characters. All belongs to CBS except for Mac and Stella. Mac Taylor belongs to Stella Bonasera and Stella Bonasera belongs to Mac Taylor.

**Don't Judge a Book by Just Its Cover**

Stella is standing there, embracing a stranger, a guy who she had never mentioned to Mac before. Mac felt a pang of jealousy in him. He just kept silent as he walks away from the view. He is happy to see Stella finally seeing someone after the whole Frankie and Drew thing. He remembered something about Robert A. Heinlein in Stranger in a Strange Land, 'Love means _a condition in which the happiness of another is essential to one's own happiness.' _

**CSI NY**

Mac was busy with his paperwork when Stella knocks on the glass wall and step in his office, "Hey, Mac… Would you like to come over my apartment tonight? I'll cook dinner and we can watch some chick flicks."

"Err, I'm sorry, Stella. I'm afraid that today I might have to finish all the paperwork. Chief wants it in tomorrow." Mac was hoping that she will accept his unreasonable reason.

"Aw, come on, Mac," Shaking him by the shoulder. "There's nothing that you can't finish tomorrow."

"Stella!! I said I have to finish this. Please go home and stop disturbing me!" Mac acted a bit harshly. "I'm sorry for disturbing you; I just thought maybe you need some time relax instead of facing the paperwork the whole day." Before Mac could say anything, Stella is already gone.

Mac sighed and closes his eyes. All the thoughts of him seeing Stella with the guy that day came into his mind. "What happened to me? We're just friend and that's all we'll ever be. She's got someone who really makes her happy. I guess I better apologize to her." Grabbing his coat, he leaves his office and drives to Stella's apartment.

**CSI NY**

Standing outside Stella's apartment, Mac thought _what if_ there's _someone else_ in there with her? _Here he __**stands**__, wondering what to do next. _Oh, he can't tolerate anymore so he walk towards the front door of Stella's apartment and knock on the door for a few times.

Stella opened the door, "What are you doing here, Mac?" rubbing her eyes and stretching her arms.

That snaps him out of his day dreams. "Stella, I… I'm sorry about earlier. I don't mean to be so vexed and angry. I was just thinking about something."

"And the something is?" giving him a questioning look.

"I saw you with a guy that day, after the case we worked on. You were hugging him. I just thought that maybe I will interrupt the time that you will be spending with him." Stella burst out laughing. Still laughing halfway, she quickly defends herself, "MAC! That was not my boyfriend. He's my neighbor. Besides, how could I like a person who is 30 years older than me? How could you misunderstand?"

"I… I don't know." Mac felt so embarrassed. Both of them fell in silence.

"You should come in. It is very cold outside." Opening the door wider for him, Stella went back to her couch leaving Mac closing the door himself and joins her on the couch.

"You're watching movie that specializing in violence and intrigue again?" Mac asked, trying to forget about the topic earlier.

"Mac, do you always love to elaborate that much? You can just say action movie. I love watching man with guns because they look so cool and agreeable to the eye or to correct taste. They have a pleasing appearance or expression that is attractive." trying to focus on the screen in front of her.

Mac didn't say anything. He just kept quiet and enjoys staring at Stella.

"Anyway, I've already forgiven you even right before I reach home. I do understand how you feel when it comes to work." Stella blurts out when she noticed Mac staring at her by using the corner of her eye. The movie finishes and Stella sat up straight and starts to talk, "Mac, if I do have a boyfriend, why… why are you afraid that having dinner with me would affect the time that I'm spending with my boyfriend? We are friends right?"

"Maybe… I can't bear to see another guy with you." Moves himself close beside Stella and touches her cheek. "Mac? What do you mean?"

Taking a deep breathe he speak again, "Stella, lately, I didn't want to face the truth and didn't want to cross that line. Till that day, I saw you hugging your neighbor whom I thought was your boyfriend, inside my heart, I thought I would die. I… I love you, Stella. You meant the world to me. Our friendship is too much too risk" Caressing her cheek softly.

Stella was so surprised that Mac felt the same as her. She wanted to tell Mac she feels the same too but before she finds any words to explain, Mac stands up and walk towards the door. "I'm sorry, I made a mistake." Stella jumps up from her couch and quickly run towards Mac and hugs him from behind stopping him there. "Mac, I do love you. I thought you never felt the same."

Mac turns around and looks into her eyes. Before Mac could say anything, he found Stella's lips on his. No words are needed anymore. All that is summed up into one passionate kiss.

Breaking apart for air, Mac asks Stella, "Do I still have the opportunity to accept the dinner that you offered me earlier? The man with guns, are you refering that as me?"

"I suppose Detective Mac Taylor does hold a gun everytime he goes for a criminal. And of course you do have the opportunity. Just don't judge something by its external appearance next time." Stella said pinching at his nose.

"What? I never…" Cutting what he said, "Yes, you did! When I hug a guy, doesn't mean I'm hugging my boyfriend. You never know what's inside the story of some hug"

"That's not judging…"

Stella shut him up by kissing him. Soon, Mac was so lost in their kiss and the arguments have long been forgotten. Both of them knew that their life with each other had just begun and there's a lot more to explore.

**THE END**


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